Natesse was flustered. It was damn near 11pm and there was hardly a soul in her brothel, save for the two drunken Imperials in the corner who had drank all night without paying for a single room or girl. Drinking was perfectly fine and Natesse welcomed it, but the prices on her beverages were so competitively low because most of the brothel’s income came from the “services” it offered. The girls who had taken up positions next to the drunks (reluctantly, and on Natesse’s orders) looked incredibly bored and annoyed. Lyra, a stunning Nord woman of just nineteen was trying not to let her annoyance show, but the other, Daneb, an equally stunning but less contained Redgaurd woman of twenty-four, finally groaned in annoyance and shoved the slobbering man off her, storming off in a huff and leaving Lyra alone and looking quite scared. Natesse had approached her, fanning her hands.
“Daneb! On Nirn’s green ground, what do you think you’re doing?!”
The woman’s hands flew to her hips and she jerked her head at the two men, who had quickly set on blabbering incoherently to Lyra.
“Nai, I am NOT going to put myself through anymore of that. I am going back to my table and wait for some real patrons to get here!”
She tossed her deep brown hair and stalked off before Natesse could say another word. Normally, she would have turned the girl’s behind right around and reminded her who ran this house, but given that the two men had not set down any gold for a room, and it was getting late, she allowed it. Besides, Lyra was looking very uncomfortable all alone and Natesse supposed she needed rescuing. Sighing, she looked at the girl and gave a curt nod, excusing her from her duties. After spending the last hour fighting off drunken kisses and trying to dechiper the mush spewing from these men’s mouths, Lyra wasn’t the least bit disappointed when she saw Natesse give her the signal to excuse herself from their company. She stood and brushed off her dress.
“Well gentlemen, I must excuse myself for the evening. I have so enjoyed your company. If you’re ever in town and feel a little lonely, look me up.”
She gave him a sultry wink, but in the inside, she was retching; they were both loud, obnoxious, and they smelled bad, and if that was the case with their clothes on, god’s forbid she found out was it was like with them off. She made to walk away, but one of them grabbed her roughly by the arm, pulling her back.
“Hey now, baby…We ain’t ready to let your sweet ass go…sssit back d-down, willya?”
Frowning, Lyra pulled on her arm, and protested, but they wouldn’t let her go. Seeing this, Natesse decided it was time to step in. tossing her waist-length strawberry hair behind her, she strode over to the group with purpose, her eyes flashing, and her head high.
“EXCUSE ME. I believe the lady said she was excusing herself. You’d do well to let her go.”
The two looked up at her stupidly for a moment, then began laughing. Natesse raised a brow. So it was going to be like that, then.
“Hahahaha! Listen to that, Liam! Woman thinks she can tell US what to do!”
They both shared a hearty laugh, all the while holding tight to Lyra, who was looking more and more scared as the situation worsened. The poor girl was still young, still not used to this business. Natesse often felt sorry for her. Tapping her foot, she rubbed her temples, and shook her head; she hated men like this.
“I am the owner of this brothel, and for all intents and purposes, the woman you are man-handling is mine. You do her any harm, and it’s no longer a matter of civility, and Rythe will have to deal with you…”
Taking his cue, a tall, shadow approached, and when he stepped into the light, his sharp, beautiful features came into clear view. Rythe was a Dunmer, and a beautiful one at that…almost too beautiful. His dainty features and smooth clear skin (not to mention his chest-length hair) made him look almost woman-like, but at the same time his strong jaw and stocky body reminded those who questioned it that he was indeed a man, and a strong one at that. He glared down at the two offenders, his slanted eyes narrowed and his full lips turned up in a sneer. He folded his arms, using the motion and position to make obvious the muscle he worked so hard over the years to build up. At his waist, a nicked, and tarnished war axe hung clearly used to being used.
The men swallowed, and looked at each other. There were no warriors, and obviously knew how to pick their battles. They snarled and standing, shoved Lyra away. They gave Natesse a nasty look and stumbled through the door and out into the Riften night. There was a brief pause, then some shouting and a loud splash as one of them slipped and fell into the putrid water just outside the door. Natesse smirked and after exchanging words with Lyra, making sure she was okay, she turned to Rythe.
“Sorry to put you on the spot, Rythe. I know how you hate confrontation. I just needed you. You did well though, you looked quite intimidating. Almost though you were a full man for a moment…”
Rythe let out a long sigh and with softer, watery eyes, looked at Natesse. One hand fell to his hip and the other ran its way through this long white hair; he tilted his head, looking much less scary and more approachable.
“By the gods, I didn’t think it would work. Glad I didn’t open my mouth and speak. They’d have laughed their asses off…”
Natesse smiled. Rythe was exaggerating. His voice, while not the typical Dunmer voice was fair from hilarious. It was just softer and more airy, like a Bosmer’s. Then again, everything about Rythe was airy; he was a very calm, very humble mer and even though he was gorgeous, he had a bit of a self-image hang-up.
“Stop it. You sound just fine… I would stand here and argue with you some more, but I am beat. You man the bar. I’m going to bed. Around 3am you can lock the door and get some rest yourself. If no one visits before then, they’re not going to.”
She patted him on the shoulder and headed up the stairs to her room, checking on the girls that were scattered about the front room as she went. Rythe watched her go before settling himself behind the bar, passing the time by wiping out tankards and listening to the girls nearby titter on about girly issues. He kept an eye on the door, watching, and waiting for any interested patrons.